FORMULA 1 announced a major addition to its 2020 line-up on Thursday as the women’s-only W Series will race on Grand Prix weekends in the USA and Mexico.
British youngster Jamie Chadwick won the inaugural series last year, earning a role as a development driver with Williams in the process.
Next season will see the W Series close its season with a double-header in Austin and Mexico City.
The races, on October 24 and 31, will undercard the F1 weekend and represent the series’ first excursion outside of Europe.
Classic circuits Monza and Brands Hatch hosted events in the first-ever season and return to the calendar for the eight-race 2020 championship.
Last year saw the victor bag over £375,000 to help progress their career with Channel 4 broadcasting races in the UK.
Hopeful competitors are not required to provide hefty sponsorship money to earn a ride, instead being put through a rigorous selection process based on their driving skills.
Former McLaren ace David Coulthard is among the backers involved in the single-seater series.
The Scot said of the announcement: “[It] is a truly impressive development, and it demonstrates very clearly the extent to which W Series has quickly been widely accepted as part of the international motorsport calendar.”
F1 managing director Ross Brawn has credited the series with “contributing significantly to increasing interest in the topic of diversity and inclusion in motorsport.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
